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July 31, 2012

Howdy friends. I am guest bloggin' today for the one and only Crystal. Click on over and find me at Kreative in Kinder. (Be still my heart . . . I am hangin' with one of my faves!!) I am super excited about this opportunity and I am offering up a fun freebie (MY POCKET GRAPH) to help celebrate.

I also just loaded my FREE Super Student Bucks Classroom Reward System Packet into TPT. I have posted about this system before, but I found cuter clip art and wanted to put it into a snazzy little packet.

Well, that's it here today folks, please pop on over to Kreative in Kinder and check out my post today (just click on her cute little button below). Oh, and be sure to take a moment to let Crystal know I sent ya :) THANKS!!!

July 30, 2012

Move it or lose it, sista! I am back on track with my Move It Mondays - a sweet little classroom movement series.

Today I am exiting the classroom and bringing in a school-wide movement idea. Have y'all thought about starting up a Jump Rope Club at school?

I have been coaching our primary team for the past two years and it has been nothing short of amazing. Not only do I get to hang with kiddos who where in my class years prior and meet oodles of additional sweeties who weren't in my room, but I also find myself in a "forced cardio" situation every Wednesday afternoon. (I may be able to say NO to my hubs and his nightly run, but I can't say no to my kiddos!)

Wait there's more . . . I team-coach this with my bestie and there is even a stipend in the deal. So, in addition to getting a free workout, I get to hang with my favorite girl AND I get paid for my awesome afternoon! Uh, it's a no-brainer! Sign me up for year three, Mr. Super!

LOVE this girl!

Just take a peek at that picture down below. The kids just love it and they get in the best shape doing it. One mom told me her son lost over 10 pounds when he was on the team. How's that for results?? And, yup, you heard read me right, a boy. This club is not all females . . . we always have lots of boys that sign up for the team.

Sound like something you may be interested in trying to get going at your school? Here is the ultimate down low on the deal . . .

Jump Rope Club has been broken into two teams at our school and it is free to all students. We have a Primary Team (2-3rd grades) and an Upper Team (4th-8th).

Our club meets one day each week starting in October. We typically run through mid-April and end right before testing. The upper grade team meets on a different day.

Our school sends out an info pack, permission slips, and insurance forms about three weeks prior to your start date - we limit our team to the first 60 kiddos who sign up.

Each week you introduce a new jump rope move! We're talking criss-cross, double-unders, can-can, twister, bell, straddle, big ropes, team jumping, etc. I must say that all of my childhood JR tricks came flooding back two years ago and I discovered that still have mad skills!

We pump jammin' tunes throughout the practice. I have a list of suitable school tunes if you are interested. I cannot tell you how many songs I have listened to and censored at the last minute!

As a final treat, we always host a parent performance and a party on our last practice day. We teach the kids a routine that allows them to really show off their newly developed skills. It's such a magical way to end the year with our crew.

Still interested? Feel free to email me (kelleydolling@gmail.com) if you want more "deets" to bring to your admins. I can send you copies of the letters we use to take a peek at too. I am fully aware that coaching isn't for everyone. However, think of this . . . if you aren't into leading the crew, but you still think the idea will work on your campus, someone else at your school might just want to take the reins on this one. Just food for thought.

Well, there you have it. A Move It Monday . . . school-wide style!

Finally today, I have to hook up with Teaching Madness and her latest linky project. This one is a doozie and RIGHT up my alley - New {School} Year Resolutions. Isn't it a brilliant one??!!

Here are my resolutions for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year . . .

Put It Away - this one is alway my biggest nemeses. I get to gettin' and start stacking things. My goal is to spend a few minutes after school putting away the "day."

Just Say No - I never seem to be able to utter this word and it can get me into trouble. Coming off of a LONG surgery leave, I am really going to need to work smarter not harder and saying "no" from time to time will be a really good idea for me this year.

Slow Down - last year I was able to put on the brakes a bit, but this year I want to slow down even more. It's all about taking time to fully train your babes on systems and routines - thanks Sisters!

Blogging - this will be my first year as a full-time teacher and a blogger. My goal is to find a nice balance between the two.

I am hoping that this linky will "hold my feet to the fire" so to speak in these four little areas (ha . . . little my foot). On that note, I would love to see what you all are working toward this year. So, if you have the time, go visit Amanda in the near future and Link up!

Alright, that's it for this Monday my friends. Thanks for taking the time to pay me a little visit. I'll see ya soon.

July 29, 2012

What a morning, what a morning. I went for my first run in over a year! I may have complained for most of the way, but I FINISHED it without poopin' out. Thanks hubs for forcing my hand . . . you know me all too well :) Now that the blood is pumpin' and my contest is over, I am going to join up with a LINKY I have been dying to get in on.

Okay, so I am about a decade late to Ms. Lemon's PAR-TAY, but I still might qualify as "fashionably late" if I get this out today. I am going to join in the fun that Miss Kindergarten and Ms. Cupcake rolled with . . . The ABCs of me!

A - AGE

I think I am 32 . . . mmmmm . . . calculating . . . yes, 32!

B - BEST DAY EVER

My my wedding day - so cliche. We got married under a bridge (that kinda makes me sound like a hobo) and had the reception in a museum. The dancing was off the chain that night!

C - CAT

I have a cat named Lou. She weighs a million pounds and just lays around all day. When she gets mad she goes potty on the floor. But, I still love her.

D - DOG

We have a dog named Tilly. Our pooch is cooler than cool and she goes everywhere with us.

E - EVERY DAY

I gotta have my coffee with almond milk (sometimes soy) each and every morning or I turn into a huge hag. Just one cup!

F - FOOTBALL

Is it football season, yet?? I don't have a pro team I follow - I am all about my fantasy players. I may love 'em one year and hate 'em the next if they aren't on my team :) I also love to watch the OREGON DUCKS play. Yes, my fall/early-winter weekends are quite consumed by the pigskin.

G - GLUTEN-FREE

Not by choice!! My grumpy gut made this decision for me.

H - HAPPY

I have been told that I am a very happy person. I am typically very upbeat and positive lady. My mom even calls me her Pollyanna. I used to play the glad game as a kid.

I - ICKY

Bugs, snakes, and other creepy crawly things.

J - JOBS

Teaching wasn't my first career out of college. My first degree was in Journalism/PR. I worked for a variety of different companies (including two television stations) and it just didn't "fill me up."

K - KIDS

We're trying . . .

L - LOVE

I absolutely love getting into a hot car. It doesn't matter if it is a zillion degrees outside. It's that initial burst of heat that just warms my heart. But, after a minute or two, I get over it :)

M - MY MAN

Travis is my leading man. We started dating four years ago and our connection is so cool. My mom and his dad were best buds growing up and lived across the street from each other. Then, my mom taught Trav in first grade. Finally, Travis lived across the street from my grandmother for years when he was growing up. The timing was never right for us until a chance encounter one very special 4th of July!

Loud chewing grosses me out . . . I fixate on it and loose my appetite.

Q - QUOTE

"Be conscious of the single blessing of breathing." - Unknown

R - RAD

I still use this word quite often.

S - SECRET SINGLE BEHAVIOR

When Trav is at work I often pump the music and dance around. Do you have a secret single behavior?

T - TELEVISION

The shows I never miss are . . . Dexter, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Workaholics, and Newsroom. I also catch these most every week . . . Storage Wars, Restaurant Impossible, and Hotel Impossible. The best show in the history of shows . . . Six Feet Under.

U - UNKNOWN FACT

I often feel guilty when I am not working. It's kinda silly, but I don't like sitting around and I always feel like I could be doing more.

V - VACATION

I heart me a good tropical vacay! Hawaii is always a great choice for me - we live in Cali and it's an easy flight.

W - WHAT MAKES YOU LATE

Blogging and blog stalking. I always wait until the very last minute to log out and I "push it" way too much!

X - X-RAYS

I have had way too many of these! Broken foot, broken hand, broken colon.

Y - YUMMY FOODS

I love pizza with a side of PBR . . . both of which are off limits right now. Someday I'll get back to cheesy/wheat goodness. Someday.

Z - ZILLIONS OF TIMES

I don't typically watch movies over and over, but there are a few that I have to stop on if they are on TV. In no particular order . . . Ghostbusters, Shawshank Redemption, and Jaws.

Wowza . . . there you be folks. The ABCs of little old me. If you haven't already, pop on over to Amy's blog and join in the linky fun!

CLICK the button to join Amy's awesome linky!

Before I run off today, I have a winner in the big Rockin' Resources Giveaway. Congrats to . . . Lori Archer! An email has been sent to ya girl. It's time to cash in and collect all of your new goods :)

July 27, 2012

I am starting to feel the pressure with school looming (yup . . . I just said the "s" word) and I have been in a bit of a funk. I don't know if y'all get like this, but I have been so overwhelmed with the stuff on the horizon that I couldn't move an inch. ALL productivity had stopped and I even had a bit of a "frowny face" for nearly a week. However, I found my Pollyanna attitude yesterday (I think it was hidden under my bed) and managed to move those feet! YAY!

On that note, I was on a roll yesterday (call it pent up creativity if you will). I stayed up until one in the morning and pumped out my entire sight word pack. Now, I may have had most of the ideas "on file" in my noggin or had the worksheets stored in my computer, but I am still going with the thought that I was on fire and pumped out 95 pages of sight word goodness :)

Most of these games are kid-tested as I used them with my kiddos in Kinder and first grade over the past couple of years. I will again be using all of these games with my firsties next year (they just needed "prettying" up a bit). Here's a little look-see at some of the games. They don't really have a theme so I am thinking these can be used throughout the year!

All activities come with two what I like to call "levels" in the first 100 words. In other words, "can, "to," and "it" are in one set (perfect for K and your low babes) and "which," "their," and "know" are in the other (for those fabulous on target firsties).

Finally, I couldn't let you leave without a freebie. It has been MUCH too LONG! Here is one of the games in the pack. It's called Find-A-Fish. This is the easier version - perfect for Kinder or first at the beginning of the year.

Please don't forget to enter my Rockin' Resources Giveaway and to join up in my Rockin' Linky fun. I am going school shopping this weekend and I would love some more ideas to carry around in my back pocket :)

On a final note, are you interested in Pen Pals next year, but need to find yourself a partner? Miss Snowden and I are planning a little match up event. Stay tuned for more info!

Well, that's it my friends. Thanks so much for stickin' with me today. Have a great Friday and I'll see you soon.

July 25, 2012

I just couldn't host the Rockin' Resource Linky without following it up with a Rockin' Resources Giveaway. They just go hand in hand in my book. And, with Back to School looming, it only makes sense that I not only tell people about my "can't live withouts," but that I also give them away.

Wanna know what you're playing for (think of me saying this in my very best Jeff Probst voice)!!??!! If you've visited me lately, you've seen the post that has been stuck up here forever. Well, do you remember all of those fabulous and fun resources I highlighted as my current faves?? Yup, you're playing for a collection of that sweet stuff!! But, just in case you forgot what I was showcasin' . . . take a look-see down below.

I didn't talk about myself in the Rockin' Resources Linky - that would have been downright silly.But, I am throwing in an item of choice from my TPT store just for good measure :)

Ready to enter? I hope so :) Just fill out the Rafflecopter widget below. This one is super simple . . . not a ton to follow. I will draw one very lucky winner on Saturday!

On a mildly related note, this giveaway is extra special to me. You see, sweet Susan Moran from TGIF (Thank God It's First Grade) won my Rockin' Resources Giveaway last time. Not only did I get to hook a teacher up with lots of great goods (something that is oh-so much fun to do), but I also scored an amazing friend out of the deal. Yup, Susan became one of my blogging besties via this giveaway . . . pretty cool, huh??!!

Before I leave ya, be sure to check out another fantastic giveaway happening at Brigid's Daily Lesson Log (I even got to participte in this one). And, we're talking multiple winners . . . yes, multiple winners people! Wowza!! Just click on Brigid's button below to magically transport to her sweet bloggy-blog.

Alright folks, that is it. I am off to hammer out this sight word packet that I have been meaning to work on all stinkin' summer. Thanks so much for visiting me today and I'll see you soon. Here's to being my BIG WINNER :)

July 22, 2012

Alright, so I said I was going to run with a Move It Monday Linky, but my dear friend over at Simpson's Superstars emailed me the other day with a suggestion. Sweet Stacy told me how much she loved the Rockin' Resouces Linky I hosted a few months ago and asked if I would consider bringing it back. Her logic was simple. With summer winding down, everyone is in full Back to School shopping mode and we are all lookin' for that awesome new item to add to our collections. Mmmmmm . . . that's a rather persuasive argument.

Well, we aim to please here at Teacher Idea Factory. So without further ado, I bring you PART DEUX . . .

Here's how Rockin' Resources: Things I Couldn't Live Without rolls. Link up a post highlighting those items that you live and die by in your classroom. With all the back to school hullabaloo going on, I am thinking you could showcase not only items that you currently use in your room, but also items that you recently acquired that you can't wait to use!

With all this said, here are my current TOP 5 "classroom can't live withouts" in no particular order . . .

ONE

CREATIVE MATHEMATICS BOOKS

Have you all heard of the famous Kim Sutton of Creative Mathematics??? This woman is downright brilliant in the math department and I have been lucky enough to score most of her resource books and attend a workshop or two (my dad writes all of the music she incorporates with her activities/games so I have the "hook up" for sure). If you haven't heard of Kim, you really must look into it. She will add some sparkle to any math program . . . I PROMISE :)

CLICK HERE to check out Kim's workbooks.CLICK HERE to check out workshop dates - she is going all over the place next year!

TWO

SMELLY MARKERS

You must be thinking "DUH, DOLLING..." everyone loves smelly markers. But, before you skip over this one, take a look-see at what I found at Staples this weekend - Rose-Art Scented Mini Washable Markers. At only $3.49 a pop, these are perfect for the kids to use and abuse on a regular basis. Mr. Sketch (skinny and fat) is still my quality "smelly" of choice, but at $8.99 each, I typically only let the kids use these on very special occasions. Now that I have these Rose Art ones, I can share the "smelly love" a bit more this year . . . even if they all smell a little the same :)

I am so bad at keeping my eye on the clock. I get going and am so focused on the task at hand, watching all the kiddos, and "selling the sizzle" that I forget to monitor the time. I always go over . . . unless I have my trusty timer. I have a couple of junky ones from the Dollar Store that I use as back up, but my true love is this XL-numbered bad boy! I found this digital delight on the New Management Web site. Not only does it count up and down, but those larger than life numbers help the kids and I see it all the way across the room. This timer is a bit pricey (ringing in at $15), but I truly love mine.

INTELLI-TUNES BY RON BROWNDid you think this one wouldn't be on the list? Of course I had to tell you all about Ron Brown's Intelli-Tunes. Even if this guy wasn't my dad, I would dote on his music just the same. You can teach all kinds of mad concepts using Ron's standards-based tunes. Not only will your kids learn oodles from them, but you won't want to run for the hills when you switch it on. From place value and tallying to rhyming, grammar, and basic movement, Intelli-Tunes has you and your kiddos covered. Check their web site soon for upcoming back to school sales!

I am all about "throwin' those dice" when it comes to teachin' those standards. They are magical little teaching tools that immediately keep your kiddos tuned into what you are "selling." It's this emotional engagement that turns those short term teaching moments into LONG TERM learning. I already have ABC, money, double, ten-sided, and thirty-sided die. But check out these cool cubes that are on their way from Great Extensions via UPS as we speak . . .

Speaking of dice, are you looking for more dice-based games to try out in your room? Let me digress just a bit . . . have you seen or heard of Box Cars and One Eyed Jacks? These ladies have worked magic in the dice and playing card department. I have found so many cool games via their books.

Alright that's it for little old me. 'Tis the Back To School Season my dear friends . . . won't you link up and share your new and old resources with us? Pretty please with sugar, sprinkles, and a great big cherry on top :)